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MichMash Live (bonus episode): A Michigan politics look ahead

✇WDET 101.9 FM
Hernz Laguerre

The political leadership in Michigan will go through some major changes with the multiple elections being held in the next couple of years.

This week on WDET’s MichMash, Gongwer News Services’ Zach Gorchow and Alethia Kasben discuss the future of Michigan politics and who has the best chance to win their respective races in the state. 

Also, Michigan political consultant and co-host of the Baldly Bipartisan podcast, Adrian Hemond, and Resch Strategies VP Anna Heaton joined the conversation.

Subscribe to MichMash on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

In this episode:

  • Sen. Gary Peters’ retirement
  • Mike Duggan’s chances as an independent in the governor’s race
  • How the voting landscape is changing

 

Michigan has never had an open governor’s race and an open senate seat in the same year, until now.

Many were surprised when Sen. Gary Peters announced his retirement earlier this year. Hemond said that Peters retiring breaks the norm for politicians.

“…the United States Senate is an exceptionally old institution and someone voluntarily retiring when they are around Medicare eligibility is actually unheard of,” he said.

Several candidates have thrown their hat in the ring to fill the open seat, including Democratic candidates Dr. Abdul El-Sayed, state Sen. Mallory McMorrow, veteran Rachel Howard, U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens, and Michigan House Speaker Joseph Tate.  

On the Republican side, former U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers, Kent Benham, Frederick Heurtebise and Genevieve Scott have all launched campaigns. Independent candidates in the race are Lydia Christensen and Craig Henley Johnson. 

When asked about the governor’s race, Heaton spoke about the challenges Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan will face running as an Independent.

“When he first announced, Republicans were a little smug, thinking he’s just going to draw from the Democratic base,” she said. “In the most recent poll that I reviewed, you know, he’s equally liked by Republicans and Democrats — and really high favorability ratings.” 

Still, Heaton said name recognition across the state could pose a significant challenge for him outside the metro area.

Despite those challenges, Hemond thinks it would be a mistake to bet against Duggan.

“If there’s anyone in Michigan politics that can do it it’s Mike Duggan, both because of the skill that he has and the Rolodex that he has — outside of just politics right, which I think is super important; but also he has sky-high name ID in the metro Detroit media market, which is where half the people in Michigan live,” he said.

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The post MichMash Live (bonus episode): A Michigan politics look ahead appeared first on WDET 101.9 FM.

MichMash: Duggan endorsement shakes up governor’s race; Sen. Camilleri advocates for K-12 budget

✇WDET 101.9 FM
Hernz Laguerre

Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan received a major endorsement that may set him a part from his other gubernatorial candidates. As part of the weekly series MichMash, WDET’s Cheyna Roth and Gongwer News Service’s Zach Gorchow discuss how this move influences the rest of the race.
Then, Michigan Sen. and Chair of the Senate K-12 Appropriations Subcommittee, Darrin Camilleri (D-Trenton) joins the show to discuss the K-12 budget and what he’s willing to negotiate. 

Subscribe to MichMash on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, NPR.org or wherever you get your podcasts.

In this episode:

  • Duggan receiving an endorsement from a group that normally backs Democrats
  • Sen. Camilleri’s thoughts on the proposed K-12 budget
  • Whether budget negotiations will be settled by July 1 deadline

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MSSzX_43trw

The Michigan Regional Council of Carpenters and Millwrights — a union representing more than 14,000 members across the state — announced this week it was endorsing Duggan for governor. 

Although endorsements don’t equal votes, Gorchow says this powerful group may help draw legacy support away from Democrats.

“It’s one thing for a group to endorse. It’s another to put resources behind a candidate. And the carpenters union has done that for gubernatorial candidates in the past,” Gorchow said. “While the union did endorse Republican Rick Snyder for governor, it traditionally backs Democrats. It endorsed Gretchen Whitmer for governor twice, among others.” 

Later in the show state Sen. Camilleri shared what’s in store for K-12 school funding, as well as his thoughts on the governor’s race.

The first-term senator and his Democratic colleagues passed a K-12 budget bill earlier in the spring that’s about $600 million more dollars than what Gov. Whitmer recommended. Since then, Gorchow says, the revenue outlook has cooled a bit.

Still, Camilleri says the state is “on the right road,” pointing out that it still has a balance on its School Aid Fund Balance Sheet.

“Even with the budget that we passed, we are well situated to pass it as-is,” he said. “I’m sure we’re going to have some differences between the governor and whatever the House puts out, because we’re still waiting to see what their proposal is.”

Camilleri says he agrees that Michigan is not yet where it needs to be on certain education metrics compared to other states across the country.

“However,” he said, “we have not seen the full outcome of these investments in at-risk funding, or in mental health and school safety, or some of the other programs that we’ve lifted up, including literacy funding,” noting that Senate Democrats are focused on making “long-term investments” in these “proven tools.”

The deadline for enacting a state budget is July 1.

More from WDET:

–WDET’s Jenny Sherman contributed to this report.

Support the podcasts you love.

One-of-a-kind podcasts from WDET bring you engaging conversations, news you need to know and stories you love to hear.

Keep the conversations coming. Please make a gift today.

Give now »

The post MichMash: Duggan endorsement shakes up governor’s race; Sen. Camilleri advocates for K-12 budget appeared first on WDET 101.9 FM.

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